Improvement in electric toys



W.- J. DECKER.

Electric-Toy;

NO. l6'4,723 Pat'entedlune 22,1875.

"571204.104: I lnwizlnz: J ,fivnya. WI: 092M W A WM,

THE GRAPHIC CO.FHOT0-LITH.39 8.41 PARK PLAOEJLY.

rrno STATES PATENT @rrron.

WILLIAM J. DECKER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN ELECTRIC TOYS. 1

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No- 164,'723, dated June22, 1875 application filed May 12, 1875.

or top view, of my improved electric toy.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in bothfigures.

This invention relates to a new toy in which the effects of electricityare utilized for causing small figures, of paper or equivalentsubstance, to dance, move about, and assume various grotesque positionsbeneath a transparent electrified surface; and the invention consists inconstructing the toy of a plate of glass supported on legs, and combinedwith a rubber, whereby the glass can be electrified.

The toy figures are placed beneath this glass, and are affected in themanner indicated by the electricity, which is imparted to the glass byrubbing its surface with the rubber. The invention also consists in thepeculiar manner of attaching the legs to the glass, as here inafter morefully described.

In accompanying drawing, the letter A represents a plate of glass ofsuitable size and shape. B B are a series of legs, of equal or unequallength, as may be desired, which are attached to the edges of the glass,preferably to the corners, as shown, for supportingitin a a horizontalor inclined position, andforobtaining an open space beneath the glass Aand between the legs B. O is a rubber for creating electricity byfriction with the glass. This rubber is preferably made of wohd, with aproper handle, and has its lower flat rubbing surface covered with apiece of felt or equivalent subtance, which may be otherwise prepared toincrease the effect of the friction on the glass with regard to thedegree of electricity. In

size the rubber O is of course much smaller than the plate A. D D aresmall toy figures, of a length less than that of the legs beneath theglass, and made of paper or equivalent substance, in shape of humanfigures or other articles. When the glass A is placed with its legs on apiece of board or other surface, and the toys DD placed beneath theglass on such surface, and the rubber G is thereupon rubbed over thesurface of the glass, this glass will be electrified, and will tend toattract the figures D with a force seldom sufficient to retain the saidfigures in a stationary position--that is, the figures will, as theaction increases the degree of electricity of one part or the other ofthe glass, follow such action of the rubber,and will thus assume adancing or hopping motion, during which the figures will often overturnand assume grotesque and amusing positions. The glass, beingtransparent, allows the motion and position of the figures D to beobserved from above, though they can also be observed from the side.

I am aware that frictional electricity has been utilized for the purposeof attracting pieces of paper to glass or other substance;

but to my knowledge a toy like that described by me has never previouslybeen devised; especially not, when it is taken into consideration thatthe figures D D should not be long enough to reach from the support ofthe toy The electric toy composed of the glass plate A, which issupported on legs B, and of the rubber 0, combined to affect the figuresD D, which are placed beneath the glass, substantially in the mannerherein shown and described.

WV. J. DECKER.

Witnesses:

' E. C. WEBB,

F. V. BRIESEN.

